Teaching a class that has students of different dialects is challenging. Accent is capable of affecting communication. For example, facilitator’s diction may determine his or her success in communicating ideas. This means that educators should employ various techniques when handling multilingual classes. Multilingual classes often present diverse challenges to the facilitators, which require them to adjust accordingly. The challenge on the learners comes because of various factors that include social and cultural backgrounds. Accent and learning tools prove the most challenging tools in the multilingual classes. The article tackles the difficulties in teaching multilingual classes and solutions to the challenges with the aim of forming an opinion on the best ways to handle the multilingual classes.
According to Levine (21), learning tools, programs, and goals offer the first challenge when dealing with the multilingual classes. Most multilingual classes have majority students who have the learning language as not their first language. The challenge of a second or third language mainly involves invoking the inner senses so that they adjust to the new language of command. However, mental adjustment is difficult, especially to the facilitators. In order to handle the challenges of diversity in languages, multiple goals should be set to ensure that the facilitator handles the learners from all viewpoints with the aim of moderating his/her approach. Goal setting involves complex analysis of the students and designing plans capable of propelling students from their current states to the desired states. The facilitator must have precise goals and identify their target learners for high performance. My prediction would be that facilitators should establish a common ground between them and the learners while setting and acclimatising plan to include all the steps towards achieving the multiple goals.
The time and span of learning offer hectic challenges when learners are from dialects that do not permit quick adaptation to the new languages. Challenges of adaptation mainly affect the content covered by the learners and the steps the facilitator takes in content delivery (Johnson 19). However, the greatest challenge goes to the facilitator who attempts to deliver the content in a way that will not make the learner phobic of the new language of command. For the facilitator to help the learners, effective plan setting becomes necessary. It is my prediction that the best way to handle this challenge involves using past attempts. Use of the ESOL techniques proves more beneficiaries to both the learners and the facilitator.
The learners stand the best position to get the content of their lessons whenever language use gets all the dimensions that it deserves. Language use and presentation occurs in diverse and diffuse ways. For instance, language use is capable of assuming the social tool and role. Communication aims at delivering information to learners in the best ways for them to understand. The challenge faced by facilitators in the context of social language use becomes inability of the learners to comprehend whatever presentation comes their way. It is my prediction that the facilitator must adopt different communication tools ranging from oral communication to non-verbal cues like gestures. The academic angle of language use proves the most technical of the language tool analysis. Most of the facilitators do not consider the fact that learner, however new language, can research about it and form their own opinions (Christopoulou, Pampaka & Vlassopoulou, 103). Minimal use of critical thinking in most of the classes hence a teaching multilingual class appears harder. In order to handle the multilingual classes more effectively, it is my prediction that the academic aspects of language must encrypt into the studies and lessons of the learners so that a new challenge comes everyday hence more advanced learning.
In different classes, language used may differ depending on what the learners’ backgrounds. According to Aiken et el. (54), most of the languages used in social sciences differ from mathematical languages and other areas of sturdy. Choice of the best language in the context of hat the facilitator aims to achieve gains the intensity of mental recap by the learners. Cumulatively, the facilitators’ choice of the content for delivery presents one of the hardest steps in teaching multilingual classes. The facilitator must remember that the learners under study have little understanding of the language of command hence the possibility of misunderstanding the content ranges high. In order to enhance swiftness in teaching multilingual classes, it is my prediction that the facilitator must choose texts and contents which are simple to understand in the early stages of teaching before they go to the advanced stages that require more analytical lessons. Learning a second language becomes even harder when first language support misses in the lectures. Most facilitators provide learners instructions tailored only to the language of command forgetting that they come from different environments, which limits comprehension. Learners find it increasingly hard to link the assignments given in class to what the facilitator wants in assignments, as they cannot comprehend the questions in the first place.
Consequently, it is my prediction that the facilitators handling multilingual classes should have knowledge of the nature of linguistic distribution in their classes. The instructions making must come well so that their interpretation is easy, especially in the early stages of learning the new language. It should permit translation into the first languages of the respective learners without changing the initial meaning of the phrases. Meeting the expectations of learners in multilingual classes deems challenging especially where the facilitator is not aware of what they require in such classes. When the facilitator learns how to handle multilingual classes and clear the barriers to communication, understanding and cohesion ought to be easier.
Works cited
Aiken, Milam, et al. "The Effect of Comment Errors in Multilingual Electronic Meetings." Communications of the IIMA 10.4 (2010): 49-60. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
Christopoulou, Maria, Maria Pampaka, and Maria Vlassopoulou. "Cypriot Teachers' Attitudes on Bilingualism." International Journal of Business and Social Science 3.11 (2012): n/a. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
Johnson, Zachary K. "Students Achieve Language Skills." McClatchy - Tribune Business News: 1. May 18 2007. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2013 .
Levine, Ruth. "Learning the Language." Puget Sound Business Journal 21.7 (2000): 18-. ProQuest. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
